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Ice instruments make for a music festival with a difference in Norway

Listen to cool music in Norway

In the small mountain town of Geilo in southern Norway, chill-out music has taken on a whole different meaning. For the 11th year, the town is hosting the Ice Music Festival, three days of otherwordly sounds created with instruments made almost entirely from ice. Dreamt up by ice-music pioneer Terje Isungset, the festival uses materials from frozen lakes and glaciers to sculpt an impressive sub-zero collection, spanning harps to marimbas. Amid snowy plains and pine forests illuminated by the year’s frst full moon, festival-goers can hear musicians from all around the world letting rip using the surprisingly sonorous and versatile material. Folk group Fargespill will perform traditional Norwegian song and dance, while singer Miss Tati will bring hip hop and jazz-infuenced soul; other highlights include ethereal trumpeter Arve Henriksen and Burkinabe musician Mamadou Diabate on the xylophone-like balafon. Afterwards, make the most of the winter by exploring the enchanting landscapes around Geilo. Options include snowshoeing in the surrounding forests, horseback riding over wintry plains and taking a snowmobile trip in search of eagles and elk.